Today we're taking a look at some spindly animals- spiders, yes, but spider monkeys! They live in forests in Central and South America, and there are seven species of them (but several of them have subspecies, too). Most people are familiar with one or two, but I'll try to show as many as I can. Their diet is mostly plants, but sometimes they'll eat insects as well, and the 'spider' part of their name comes due to the fact that their long limbs and tail reminded people of spiders. The way they use their prehensile tails like a fifth lim is especially impressive and really has to be seen- so here's a video of just that.

Spider monkeys in general are listed as an endangered animal, with only one species- the black-faced spider monkey- considered to be at a lower risk of extinction. The reason for this is because they're easy to spot, being fairly large, make easy hunting, and are also very popular animals in the exotic pet trade. Add habitat destruction on top of all that, and you can see why they- like many other animals living in the same areas that they do- have their future in question.

( Spiders all over this post! Most of them are monkeys, though. )

Today we're taking a look at some spindly animals- spiders, yes, but spider monkeys! They live in forests in Central and South America, and there are seven species of them (but several of them have subspecies, too). Most people are familiar with one or two, but I'll try to show as many as I can. Their diet is mostly plants, but sometimes they'll eat insects as well, and the 'spider' part of their name comes due to the fact that their long limbs and tail reminded people of spiders. The way they use their prehensile tails like a fifth lim is especially impressive and really has to be seen- so <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sd7RTSAaZj8">here's</a> a video of just that. Spider monkeys in general are listed as an endangered animal, with only one species- the black-faced spider monkey- considered to be at a lower risk of extinction. The reason for this is because they're easy to spot, being fairly large, make easy hunting, and are also very popular animals in the exotic pet trade. Add habitat destruction on top of all that, and you can see why they- like many other animals living in the same areas that they do- have their future in question. <img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3428/3385925001_0c3794c8d6.jpg"> <small><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/46532323@N00/3385925001">red-faced spider monkey</a></small> <img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7144/6521823583_8dc9343e21.jpg"> <small><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/stefankoeder/6521823583/">white-fronted spider monkey</a></small> <img src="http://i.imgur.com/HPypu.png"> <small><a href="http://whatafy.com/arboreal-monkeys-the-black-spider-monkey-ateles-chamek.html">black spider monkey</a></small> <img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7067/6811129854_d34fa94453.jpg"> <small><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/70501378@N04/6811129854">brown spider monkey</a></small> <img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8009/7472400274_6b21d512a1.jpg"> <small><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/birdernaturalist/7472400274/">white-cheeked spider monkey</a></small> <img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3416/3331692738_c6df7d3060.jpg"> <small><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/stevegreaves/3331692738/">colombian spider monkey</a></small> <img src="http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4046/4624912799_972b9e6876.jpg"> <small><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50378364@N04/4624912799">red spider monkey</a></small> <img src="http://i.imgur.com/f2Gng.png"> <small><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ateles_geoffroyi_vellerosus_-Miami_Zoo-8.jpg">mexican spider monkey</a></small> <img src="http://i.imgur.com/3n1KQ.png"> <small><a href="http://www.planetstillalive.com/america/belize-2/belize-mammals">yucatan spider monkey/a></small> ...and, babies! <img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5196/5828986850_0962094fd7.jpg"> <small><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/62729041@N04/5828986850">source</a></small> <img src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2125/2130291919_cda9fde779.jpg"> <small><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ajhaverkamp/2130291919/">source</a></small> <img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3283/2431836395_3bb6d75266.jpg"> <small><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tomobrienphotography/2431836395/">source</a></small> Now on to the spider spiders! We're not looking at any particular spider species today, but I thought we could take a look at a behaviour of certain spiders! <img src="http://i.imgur.com/A0BzH.png"> <small><a href="http://blogs.bu.edu/biolocomotion/2011/11/28/ballooning-spiders/">source</a></small> Here's one getting ready for takeoff. And if that sounds like it's about to fly, that's because it is! This little spider is about to go ballooning, which is done by releasing a fair bit of silk out to catch the wind, which picks it up and carries it wherever it might go. Generally only baby spiders do this because they're tiny and light enough to take flight on a good breeze. Generally, if you want to try spotting spiders in action, late fall would be a good time for this! <img src="http://farm1.staticflickr.com/81/242533875_46a4bc1c50.jpg"> <small><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/85781515@N00/242533875/">source</a></small> <img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3102/2912900855_43dce2efa4.jpg"> <small><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimkowski/2912900855/">source</a></small>